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H.S. baseball player's suicide a stunner

Tue Jan 18, 2:29 PM UTC

Police are investigating the death of a Los Angeles teen who fled baseball practice and leaped from the 10th floor of a hotel as teammates looked on.

Police say Matthew Mezza, 14, abruptly ran from baseball practice Friday and entered the Sheraton Delfina Hotel, located across the street from where the Santa Monica High team was playing, The Los Angeles Times reported. Mezza then jumped to his death.

Neil Comess-Daniels, rabbi at Beth Shir Shalom synagogue, which Mezza had attended since childhood, described the teen as bright, upbeat and dependable and said the boy gave no indication he was troubled. Rita Schneir, Mezza’s grandmother, said her grandson excelled academically and athletically and had many friends.

The Santa Monica-Malibu School District is conducting its own investigation into Mezza’s death.